


In the Garden

by sophinisba



Category: Lord of the Rings (2001 2002 2003), Lord of the Rings - Tolkien
Genre: 1000-5000 Words, Conspiracy, Gen, Hobbits, Pre-Quest, shire - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2006-01-03
Updated: 2006-01-03
Packaged: 2017-10-06 21:41:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,339
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/58034
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sophinisba/pseuds/sophinisba
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Pippin helps Sam help Merry help Frodo.</p>
            </blockquote>





	In the Garden

Mr. Merry had come out to find Sam in the garden. And that was strange, for it wasn't like any of Mr. Frodo's relatives to take any notice of Sam, not since Mr. Bilbo had left. At first Sam was looking past him, expecting to see Mr. Frodo coming along behind, but Mr. Merry was by himself. Stranger still, it seemed he wanted to talk to Sam.

Sam was kneeling, working turnips out of the ground, but he stood up and wiped his hands when he saw the other hobbit slowing, and spoke when Merry stopped. "Good day, Mr. Merry. Something I can do for you?"

"Yes, Sam. Tell me why Frodo won't look Pippin or me in the eye, would you please?"

And, well, that was unexpected. True, it had never seemed realistic to Sam that he and Frodo could keep the secret from Merry and Pippin all the way up to their departure, them being such close friends. Still, he hadn't expected it to come out within two hours of the two younger hobbits' arrival at Bag End.

"I don't know what you mean, sir," said Sam, wishing he were a better, quicker, and more creative liar.

"Come, Sam, you're not going to get out of it that easily and you know it. Frodo doesn't keep secrets from us; he's no good at it, and neither are you. What are the two of you up to, and why is it making Frodo act so sad?"

_Did you ask Mr. Frodo that?_ he wanted to say. _Did you ask Mr. Gandalf?_ For why should it be Sam's responsibility to tell them what was wrong, or to lie and convince them that nothing was? But there it was. Of course Mr. Merry would ask Sam before he asked Frodo, because Mr. Merry was clever like that, and knew that deep down Sam would want to say. The responsibility was his, whether he wanted it or not.

"I reckon he's just distracted is all," said Sam, "having so many guests at the smial."

"Frodo can handle more than three guests. But it's to do with the other one, yes? Some news Gandalf brought him? News of Bilbo, perhaps?" He didn't seem quite angry, only businesslike, needing to get all the information quickly, not caring that Sam had sworn not to tell any of this to another living soul. Sam wanted a moment to breathe and to think about what to say, but Merry stared, impatient, and Sam didn't want to hold still under that gaze any longer than he had to.

"I wouldn't know about that, sir." Because he shouldn't have been listening in through the window, so surely Mr. Merry wouldn't be expecting him to know about private conversations between his master and the wizard.

Mr. Merry continued as if Sam hadn't spoken. "It's to do with the ring, yes?"

Sam was shocked. This was meant to be the great secret, and Sam had _not_ given it away. He hadn't said a word. How could he have failed so miserably in keeping the secret, when he'd said nothing? He couldn't think to speak, could only stare.

"Oh, blast it, Sam," Merry said in exasperation, "I know about the ring already; I've known about it for years."

"For... But you..."

"Known about it since before Bilbo left, since the day I saw him use it to disappear from the Sackville-Bagginses, and I've kept it a secret all this time, so don't think that I'm about to betray Frodo now."

"Of course I wouldn't think that, sir. I..."

Merry's keen gaze stopped Sam's words. "But that's just it, isn't it?" Merry said. "That's why you're blushing like you're ready to explode. You're not allowed to betray Frodo, and that's how you think of this? Fine then, you needn't say a word, and no one can ever blame you for having told me the big secret, for I'll have figured it out on my own. Only speak up if I'm getting something wrong, is that all right?"

It was certainly not all right, Sam thought, and surely Mr. Merry must see that there had been more to his promise than not speaking this thing out loud. And yet, somehow, Sam nodded his assent.

Mr. Merry waited a little while before speaking again. He looked tense, more nervous now that he was really on the verge of finding out the truth. "The things I've said already," he began. "Gandalf has brought news." He looked at Sam, who looked at the ground but did not contradict the statement. "It's something to do with Bilbo's ring."

_He knows it already_, Sam thought to himself. _He's kept it a secret all this time. He loves Frodo and won't do anything to put him in danger._ Sam wished he could believe that he was doing the right thing. He kept still.

"Frodo means to go away, to leave the Shire and find Bilbo."

"I don't know that the purpose is to find Mr. Bilbo, sir," and Sam knew that by supplying this information he was crossing another line, but he'd already crossed the big one. There was really no going back now.

Merry nodded but seemed to have nothing to say to that. He thought for another moment. "And he means to take you with him?" A very short pause. "Only you?"

Sam could leave this alone. He didn't need to say anything, and yet -- "It isn't so much that he decided that. It's... Mr. Gandalf, you know, and..."

"Thought it would be a good idea for you to go along," Merry finished impatiently, speaking quickly and almost as if to himself. "Nearly thirty years he's lived here, and I know you get to see him more than I do, but there are still things about him that I know and you don't; there are still ways that I can help him and you can't." He looked away and said quietly, "Frodo knows that better than anyone and still he thinks he can just give us the slip." Merry sighed, and turned his fierce eyes on Sam again. "I understand it wasn't your idea Sam, but really, you shouldn't have kept this to yourself."

"The idea was that no one at all should know, sir. Mr. Frodo meant to go off on his own, without even me, only Mr. Gandalf happened to... that is, he found out that I'd overheard a bit of his news..."

The look Merry gave Sam was different then, still hard but now showing some interest, perhaps even a little admiration. Sam rushed to continue his speech.

"But that was to be the end of it. What I've understood of it is, there's other folk that want that ring, and might have found out that Mr. Frodo has it. So he's got to get away, but without letting anyone else know. And it isn't..." -- he felt shy at this, but said it anyway, since there was little point holding anything back anymore -- "It isn't that he didn't trust you and Mr. Pippin, only that he didn't want to put you in danger, and he didn't know how to tell you, or how to tell you goodbye."

"Is that it then?" Merry said softly, considering. "Well," and this sounded more decisive, and yet he hesitated, bit his lip, and frowned for several more moments while Sam waited on his next words.

_He'll take my place_, Sam thought. _He'll talk Mr. Frodo into taking him along instead, and they'll go off to meet the elves and I'll be left here alone._

Then Merry looked up, smiled, and patted Sam's arm. "You needn't be so nervous, Sam, we won't send you off alone with the old coot. We're coming with you, of course."

* * *

Mr. Pippin came bearing cold chocolate milk and chocolate-covered strawberries. Sam was not quite crying, but he was breathing heavier than usual and caught up enough in his own thoughts that he didn't notice the other's approach. He startled when Pippin greeted him but was relieved that he was not called upon to speak, for he didn't trust his voice. Pippin sat down beside him on the dirt path before Sam had time to get up, and he set the goodies down between them, helping himself even as he spoke.

"No need to worry then, we'll get this sorted. No, that's all right, don't say anything, just drink some of this. Good, isn't it? And eat some of these. You've done nothing wrong, Sam. You know that, don't you?"

Sam didn't know, whether he had done right or wrong, and whether he was likely to be dropped from the traveling party or to be turned into a toad in punishment, so he didn't say anything. But he drank more of the sweetened milk gratefully, felt the coolness down his throat and spreading to his face, which he hoped was no longer red. And though he felt somewhat awkward at failing to answer the gentlehobbit's question -- not even pretending to keep any secrets now, only not wanting to break down -- Mr. Pippin didn't seem to mind.

"I'm sorry to have taken so long to get to you," he continued, and Sam was surprised, for it seemed to him that he'd had barely any time alone with his thoughts between one guest's departure and the other's arrival, but he supposed time could have gotten away from him. "I wanted to bring you something nice and sweet right away, and be here if you wanted to talk. But I had a time convincing Merry not to burst in on Frodo right now, tear into him for keeping the secret from us, and inform him of the new plan." Pippin shook his head and chuckled softly.

"Do you mean...?" To Sam's relief his voice was steady, but it still took some effort for him to find words. "Mr. Merry said you and him would be coming along with us, to Rivendell, or wherever it is Mr. Frodo's to go. Do you mean to say you talked him out of that?"

"Oh, certainly not. I'm no more willing to let go of Frodo than Merry is. I only talked him out of putting all that out in the open right now. You know how Frodo is."

Sam did, but this still didn't seem right. "Begging your pardon, sir, but Mr. Merry sounded like he was angry at Mr. Frodo for keeping this from him. Do you really think it's a good idea to go on having more secrets between you?"

Mr. Pippin smiled and considered this as he carefully nibbled the chocolate off one strawberry, which he then ate in one large bite. He chewed as he spoke. "Frodo, though, he won't want to put us in danger, and he won't even want to _impose_. Naturally, by being so stubborn about this kind of thing he only makes more work and more whispering and planning and conspiring for those of us that care for him. We can't get him to agree to take us along by being reasonable and honest about it. We need to spring it on him when it's too late for him to turn us away."

"That's..." a good plan? Dishonest and unfair? More dangerous than you realize?

"Don't worry," said Pippin, "we won't get into too much without knowing what's going on. We will talk to Gandalf about it before he leaves, find out a bit more of the story, and make sure no one holds it against you that we've found out. It's not a bad thing; plans can change. You said yourself that Frodo didn't mean to take even you along at first. Well, he doesn't know yet that his plan will be changing again, but it's all for the good. The main thing to keep in mind is that three of us can do more for him than you could do alone. So you and Merry would do well to stop acting so territorial and realize that Frodo can love more than one of you at once, and we can all love him back as well."

Sam decided the best thing he could do then was to down the rest of his chocolate milk.

Pippin hesitated, then asked, "Was Merry unkind to you, Sam?"

Again, Sam didn't know what to answer. Saying yes or even nodding would be taking it too far, and would be passing judgment on one of his betters. But saying no would be a lie. Again, Pippin left it alone.

"It's all right, you know. He doesn't act that way on purpose. That is, it isn't his intention to hurt your feelings or mine. He just gets in that way, sometimes. All he thinks about is being there for Frodo, and he forgets that the rest of us are there at all. But it's all done out of love, do you see?"

"Yes, sir," Sam managed.

"Don't be so sad then. It _will_ be better with the four of us going together."

"Three of us I don't think I could take," Sam said, "but if you'll be along as well than you should be able to keep Mr. Merry and me from being at each other's throats."

"Ah, well, that's the last thing Frodo needs in a time of crisis, isn't it? His cousin and his gardener at each other's throats." He grinned. "Don't worry, Sam, I know how to handle him; though you can't leave it all to me either. From what I understand we have a few months left before we need to leave, so you and Merry have time to get more comfortable around each other before we're all sleeping under the stars together and deciding who carries how much in his pack."

_Three gentlehobbits for me to look out for instead of one_, Sam thought wistfully; but he said, "Thank you, sir. I think Mr. Frodo will be glad to have every one of us along."

"Yes, Sam, I quite sure of it."


End file.
